Process of forming sodium tungstate



Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,652,646 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM .B. STOIJDARD, F CALDWELL, NEW JERSEY, AND IRVING HOCHSTADTER,0F

FAR ROCKAWAY, NEW YORK.

PROCESS OF FOBMIN G SODIUM TUNGSTATE.

No Drawing.

Our-invention relates to improvements in treating ores, and the same hasfor its object more particularly to provide a simple, efiicient andinexpensive process of preparing or treating the ores in order toobtainetherefrom the element or substance to be recovered.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a process by meansof which the ore may be prepared in order to render soluble the elementor substance to be recovered.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a simple andefiicient process in which the heat necessary to efl ect the requiredchemical changes results from the interaction of certain of theingredients present in the mass.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a simple andeflicient process in which the heat necessary to efiect the requiredchemical changes results from the interaction of certain of theingredients present in the mass, the components and conditions of themixture being so balanced 2- that the chemical reactions propagatethemselves without artificial aid after having been once started.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a process in whichthe oxygen,

3% necessary to effect the combustion of the contained fuel, is producedby the interaction of the ingredients of the mass.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a process in whichthe products of combustion will form or produce certain compounds whoseaction will serve to disintegrate the ore and produce soluble compoundsof certain of the constituents of the ore which is under treatment.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a process in whichthe products of combustion react upon the ore causing the desireddisintegration under the influence of the heat produced by thecombustion itself, and resulting in the formation of soluble compoundscontaining the valuable constituents to be recovered.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a process oftreating tungsten ores by means of which the tungstencontent of the oreis converted into soluble tungstates.

Further objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, our inventionconsists in the Application filed March 30, 1922. Serial No. 548,144.

tate of the alkali metal produced, and that by mixing the ore withsodium nitrate and an appropriate amount of carbonaceous material, suchas charcoal or bituminous coal, a mixture is produced which, whenignited, is capable of propagating its own heat and combustion by theinteraction of the oxygen of the sodium nitrate with the carbonaceousmaterial.

Further, we have found that the combustion of the carbon by the oxygenof the sodium nitrate will produce sodium carbonate, Which in turn,reacts with the tungsten ore and forms the soluble tungst-ate, which isthe product to be recovered.

In carrying out our process we form a mixture composed, preferably, of

Parts. Tungsten bearing ore 500 Sodium nitrate -i -330 Charcoal 7 5Sodium silicate solution 38 Water 13 The tungsten bearing ore as well asthe charcoal are first reduced to a; finely comminuted state or powder,either together or separately. If groundseparately, they are thoroughlymixed in any appropriate manner. To this mixture the water and sodiumsilicate are added, and the whole then mixed until all the ingredientsare thoroughly incorporated. The sodium nitrate is then added to thismixture either in a ground condition, and evenly incorporated with it,or the same is incorporated by grinding, which powders it at the sametime. The sequence of operations in which the water and sodium silicateare added to the mixture of ore and charcoal and thoroughly incorporatedwith it before the sodium nitrate is added is an important one, asotherwise the action of sodium nitrate upon the charcoal, if thematerials were in a dry state, might cause untoward conditions orresults. The mixture is then placed upon a suitable heat resisting flooror support, or the same may be placed into a shallow, open receptacle orcontainer.

- noted that it does not require the use of a furnace or analogousapparatus as the operation may be carried out upon a floor or any fiatsupport or in any suitable container, and that it is unnecessary for thepropagation and completion of the combustion and chemical reactionsinvolved to supply air thereto, either at atmospheric or higherpressure, as all the oxygen required for the combustion of the fuel issupplied internally from the ingredients used, and in the properproportion as the combustion progresses.

Further, it is to be noted that while we specify the use of a smallquantity of water in connection with the sodium silicate, in order tomoisten the mass, the use of such water may be omitted, but we prefer touse the same as it tends to cause a more perfect or intimate mixture ofthe components of the mass, and produces a somewhat greater yield of thesoluble tungsten compounds, and serves further to avoid any untowardresults or conditions.

Having thus described our said invention what we claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of treating ore containing a valuable amphoteric metalwhich consists in finely dividing the ore, mixing the same with acomminuted carbonaceous material and a salt of an alkali metal servingas an oxidizing agent, and adapted to react on the ore to form a readilysoluble compound with the valuable metal thereof, and igniting themixture whereby to cause the reaction to propagate autogenouslythroughout the mass and form said soluble compound, substantially asspecified. I

' 2. The process of treating tungsten bearing ore which consists infinely dividing the ore, mixing the same with a comminuted carbonaceousmaterial and a nitrate of an alkali metal serving as an oxidizing agentand adapted to react on the ore to form a soluble compound of the alkalimetal and tungsten. and igniting the mixture whereby to cause thereaction to propagate autogenously throughout the mass and form saidsoluble compound, substantially as specified.

3. The process of treating tun sten bearing ore which consists in finelydividing the ore, mixing the same with a comminuted carbonaceousmaterial and an oxidizing agent having a metallic base capable offorming with the tungsten of the ore a soluble tungstate, and ignitingthe mixture whereby to cause, the reaction to propagate autogenouslythroughout the mass and form said soluble tungstate, substantially asspecified.

4. The process of treating ore containing a valuable amphoteric metalwhich consists in; finely dividing the ore, mixing the same with acomminuted carbonaceous material, an oxidizing agent having a metallicbase capable of forming a readily soluble compound with the valuablemetal of the ore, and a binder, and igniting the mixture whereby tocause the reaction to propagate autogenously throughout the mass andform sfiail soluble compound, substantially as speci- 5.'The process oftreating tungsten bearing ore which consists in finely dividing the ore,mixing the same with sodium nitrate and charcoal, igniting the mixtureand causing the reaction to pro agate throughout the mass and form asolub e compound carrying the tungsten of the ore treated, substantiallyas specified.

6. The process of treating tungsten bearing ore which consists in finelydividing the ore, mixing the same with sodium nitrate, charcoal, and abinder, igniting the mixture and causing the reaction to propagatethroughout the mass and form a soluble compound carrying the tungsten ofthe ore treated. substantially as specified.

7. The process of treating tungsten bearing ore which consists in finelydividing the ore, mixing the same with sodium nitrate, charcoal" andsodium silicate, igniting the mixture and causing the reaction topropagate throughout the mass and form a soluble compound carrying thetungsten of the ore treated, substantially as specified.

8. The process of treating tungsten hearing ore which consists in finelydividing the ore, mixing the same with sodium nitrate, pulverizedcharcoal and sodium silicate in solution, igniting the mixture andcausing the reaction to propagate throughout the mass and form a solublecompound carrying the tungsten of the ore treated, substantially asspecified.

9. The rocess of treating tungsten bearing ore w ich consists in takingabout 500 parts of tungsten bearing ore, finely dividing the ore, mixingthe same with sodium nitrate about 330 parts. pulverized charcoal aboutparts, and sodium silicate solution, igniting the mixture and causingthe reaction to propagate throughout the mass and form a solublecompound carrying the tungsten of the ore treated, substantially asspecified.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York,this 20th day of March, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two.

WILLIAM B. STODDARD. IRVING HOCHSTADTER.

